Artificial limb.



No. 783,466. PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

S. ROSENFELDER.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

w APPLIUATIOH FILED JULY 13,.1904.

UNITED STATES Patented February 28, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,466, dated February 28, 1905.

l Application filed J lly 15, 1904:. Serial No. 216,312.

To all whmn 7126 may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHAN RosENEELDER, orthopaedist, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Nuremberg, Germany, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Artificial Limbs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The artificial limb constructions heretofore known for amputated thighs or legs are generally arranged so that the amputated stump is received in a suitably-shaped sheath, the upper edge of which forms the supportingsurface for the ischium and lies along the breech-fold. Frequently an amputated man suffers for a long time the shocks produced by the hard sheath at each step, because the soft parts between the ischium and the sheath are so compressed that skin injuries and inflaminations are resulting therefrom. These objections are generally avoided by means of thick paddings. However,such paddings produce an intensive heat, and therefore much sweat impregnating the paddings, whereby the same gets rotten and is to be replaced in comparatively short time.

The object of my present invention is to provide improved pneumatic means whereby all such objections are effectively avoided and which are arranged to afliord a comfort able elastic and adjustable support to the bearer.

With this object in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts fully described and claimed hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view, and Fig. 2 a top plan view, of my invention.

'Referring more particularly to the drawings, (4 indicates the usual well-known sheath of the artificial limb, the upper edge of which is flattened, as shown, and provided with peri-' pherical inner and outer grooves g and f, respectively, adapted to receive the edges of an outer cover 6, the section of which is suited to the body of the bearer and which is made of impregnated leather or other suitable material. The inner edge of said cover is tightened in the groove g by means of the ring (Z, pressed into sald groove.

Arranged within the cover Z) is an elastic air-chamber 0, provided with an air-valve It, projecting through a corresponding opening in said cover, the outer edge of which tightened in the groove f by means of the adjustable ring 0, provided with outwardly projecting ends, through which passes an adjusting-screw 7:, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. i

It will be seen that when air is forced into the air-chamber a through the air-valve it said chamber will be expanded according to the shape of the outer cover and form a soft elastic support with the same, adapted to make a close contact with the soft parts of the bearer.

I wish it to be understood that modifications or changes may be made in the minor details of construction without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the nature of my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an artificial limb, the combination with the sheath and the flattened upper edge thereof, an inner peripherical and an outer peripherical groove in said sheath, of an eX- panding air-chamber arranged directly on said flattened edge, a suitably-shaped outer cover above said air-chamber, the edges of said cover arranged within said peripherical grooves, and means for adjustably tightening said edges in said grooves, substantially as set forth.

2. In an artificial limb, the combination with the sheath and the flattened upper edge thereof, an inner peripherical and an outer peripherical groove in said sheath, of an expanding air-chamber arranged directly on said flattened edge, a suitably-shaped outer cover above said air-chamber and having its edges arranged within said inner and outer grooves, a fixed ring pressing the inner edge of said cover in the corresponding groove, and an adjustable tightening-ring pressing the outer edge of the cover in the outer groove of said sheath, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHAN ROSENFELDER. 

